Health and fitness
Probably the most common recommendation is based on the knowledge that healthy people are more resilient and better able to handle any kind of stress experience, including burnout.
Therefore, the health and fitness recommendations include eating more nutritious food, losing excess weight, engaging in regular exercise, and quitting smoking.
In the following pages we include some information to get you started on:
Healthy eating
Definition
During chronic stress, hormones such as cortisol stimulate appetite, especially for foods high in fat and sugar. As these foods help tamp down many of the negative effects of the stress response, they are often used as “comfort foods.” Preparing and eating well-balanced nutritious meals will help counterattack unhealthy eating patterns during times of stress.
How it works
You can start by learning about nutrition, the impact different categories of food have on stress levels, and the relationship between energy levels, mood and the diet. Then you can learn about your current eating habits and develop more healthy eating strategies. This could be achieved through goal setting and through self-monitoring of eating habits. Keeping a diary where you record, for each meal, the food category and the amount of food consumed can prove to be a useful tool. Be sure to also write down where and when you eat, the setting and the people with you at the time, and your feelings.
Eating is often tied to internal and external cues, and keeping track of this information may give you clues as to why you eat the way you do.
Other steps toward healthy eating include: making smart choices from all food groups, finding the right balance between eating and physical activity, eating frequent calm meals, planning ahead, maximizing the nutritional value of your calories, cutting back on fats and sugar, limiting sodium, attaining or maintaining your ideal weight, limiting caffeine and alcohol, and taking vitamins 1.
Resources for self-directed practice:
Other resources:
- How can a nutritionist help with stress and diet
- Nutrition and stress
- Useful apps for tracking food intake: g., MyFitnessPal, Calorie Counter & Food Diary, MyPlate Calories Tracker
Exercise
Exercise creates chemical releases of endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin, which can be helpful in stress release
There are three different categories of exercise:
- endurance or aerobic: activities that increase your breathing and heart rate (e.g., running or cycling);
- strength and toning: exercises that build strong muscles and bones (e.g., weight training);
- balance, stretching and flexibility: exercises that give you more freedom of movement (e.g., yoga).
How it works
Regular aerobic exercise lowers sympathetic nervous system reactivity to physical and psychological stressors. Resistance exercise training significantly improves strength and reduces depressive symptoms. Reviews of yoga practice support its role as a self-soothing technique that can help modulate your stress response to both anxiety and depression.
The Mayo Clinic (2018) recommends getting at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity — such as brisk walking or swimming —, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity — such as running or aerobic dancing. There is general agreement in the evidence that progressive muscle strengthening exercises need to be done two to three nonconsecutive days per week and target all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms) to be effective.
Resources for self-directed practice:
Documents
1. Davis, M., Eshelman, E.R., McKay, M. (2008). The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.